Hunting Tourism in Belarus

Extensive national reserves and forested areas, rich in fauna, make Belarus an attractive destination for hunting enthusiasts from both nearby and distant foreign countries. The fans of this type of recreation are attracted by the simple and transparent hunting rules, affordable prices, and the natural riches of the country.

In Belarus, you can hunt 53 species of mammals and 31 species of birds. These include wolf, fox, mink, moose, roe deer, hare, marten, duck, black grouse, quail, pheasant, woodcock, muskrat, squirrel, raccoon dog, wild boar, deer, and others. Hunting for bison is also allowed here, but you can only hunt individuals from the reserve gene pool and with a one-time permit. The most popular animals are wild boar, wolf, moose, and roe deer. Among birds, hunting enthusiasts prefer partridges, black grouse, and ducks.

Various companies organize hunting tours, taking on responsibilities including assistance in obtaining necessary permits and visas for foreigners. The cost of such tours depends on the type of hunting, species of animals, and selected services – accommodation, transfer, food, trophy making, rental of hunting rifles, and more. Hunting can also be ordered directly at a hunting estate. Such estates are ready to organize any type of hunting for tourists – driven, stalking, from a high seat, during the rut, with flags, with calling. These natural complexes are equipped with everything necessary for effective hunting – towers, enclosures, traps and snares, hunting bows, and crossbows. Experienced gamekeepers accompany tourists during the hunt.

What You Need to Know About Hunting in Belarus?

1. Hunting rules in the country are strictly regulated. Violating them results in fines.
2. The republic has temporary and seasonal restrictions on hunting, and there are territories where game hunting is prohibited.
3. To hunt, a foreigner must have:

• A permit for the storage and carrying of a hunting rifle, issued in the country of residence;
• Permitting documents for the import/export of the rifle and ammunition, issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus;
• A hunting ticket or special hunting permission;
• An official permit that allows carrying, storing, and using the hunting weapon and its ammunition – in case the rifle is provided to the foreigner for temporary use.

Where to Hunt?

There are about 250 hunting estates across the country, ready to offer not only hunting but also leisure organization. Hunting can be combined with other recreational activities – fishing, sauna, quad biking, billiards, barbecue, and excursions.

The Most Popular Locations for Hunting Tourism:

1. National Park 'Braslav Lakes' – offers hunters over 26 hectares of grounds, with bird and game hunting allowed almost all year round. Guests can enjoy a full range of services for leisure organization.
2. 'Belaya Tropa' Hunting Estate, located in the Grodno region. Here you can hunt deer, roe deer, moose, boars, and birds throughout the year. Guests can stay in a hunting lodge equipped with parking, a sauna, billiards, and an open pool.
3. Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, located in the north of the country. Part of the reserve is leased by the 'Barsuki' hunting estate. Here you can hunt, fish, and relax in guest houses.
4. 'Selyava' Republican Nature Reserve, located in the Krupsky district of the Minsk region. Hunting for roe deer, black grouse, moose, woodcock, and wild boar is available. Tourists are offered accommodation in cozy double rooms with all amenities and additional services like boat, catamaran, and fishing equipment rentals.
5. 'Bely Bor' Hunting Estate – located in the Minsk region, 80 kilometers from the capital. Here, one can hunt deer, wolf, moose, waterfowl, and marsh birds year-round.
6. 'Lebedinoe' Hunting Estate, located in the Polotsk district of the Vitebsk region. It is primarily known for bird hunting – ducks, woodcock, drakes. But also inhabiting the area are boars, moose, and fur-bearing animals.
7. 'Krasny Bor' Hunting Estate – located in the Verkhnedvinsk district of the Vitebsk region. The natural complex offers visitors trophy and enclosure hunting, as well as accommodation, excursions, sporting and other active types of recreation.
8. National Park 'Belovezhskaya Pushcha' – dense, ancient forest creates ideal natural conditions for wildlife habitation and reproduction, making it unlikely for a hunter to leave without a catch. The hunting estate operating in the reserve offers tourists hunting opportunities for roe deer, moose, marten, deer, and wild boar.

Belarusian nature, national hospitality, and the developed infrastructure of hunting estates provide all the conditions for comfortable leisure and exciting hunting tourism.